Artist Profile: IBARRA

Some electronic producers began their music-making adventures as members of bands. Maria Ibarra – aka IBARRA – is one such artist, with a breadth of experience drumming in multiple bands throughout her youth. This shaped the creative musician and community advocate she is today.

“Being a band drummer taught me to actually finish songs, which is so important. I fell in love with the connection that we, as humans, have to music – specifically a beat that just naturally makes our head bop or our foot tap,” says IBARRA. “I fell in love with finding the grooves in the pockets of the beat that makes humans smile and dance.”

Early Inspiration

An innovator at heart, IBARRA’s experimental approach to sound design takes root in progressive- and psychedelic-rock, two genres that fill the backdrop of her early life. She’s fascinated by the way 60s and 70s groups like Pink Floyd, Cream, and Led Zeppelin took many creative risks and integrated a sense of limitlessness into their legendary work.

“Bands of the psychedelic rock era are inspiring and important to me because they are some of the first to experiment with sounds that were not typical for music. Jimmy Page used a violin bow on his guitar; The Beatles sampled birds singing, and played recordings of a guitar backwards,” says IBARRA. “They let the music fully speak without putting limits on it, and that’s what I love to do.”

IBARRA’s knack for infinitude translates into her unique arsenal of signature sounds. Described by many as a producer of dark and enigmatic detail, IBARRA combines elements of drippy, low-end basslines with samplings from late 60s- and early 70s- space rock and psychedelia. She channels the imaginative magic of progressive arena hits to craft undefinable modern gems suited for soundsystem mayhem.

“I truly do love finding the grooves in the pockets of the beat, and my biggest goal is to have people dancing. I don’t go in with any other aim besides the plan to create,” says IBARRA. “One of my favorite things about making experimental bass music is that I don’t fit into one box. I like that I can’t fully describe my sound – there is still so much experimenting to be done.”

Embracing The Present

Such spur-of-the-moment spontaneity is evident in IBARRA’s latest track: 'The House on 140th Ave.' The Background Noise release holds elements of 140bpm while diverging into a distinct sound design all its own.

“This track is a perfect example of letting the art speak for itself. I like to let my tracks go wherever they want to, so while the song began in the 140 realm, I went with the flow of where it wanted to go instead,” says IBARRA. “The vibe changed so much, but to be honest, the track has become one of my personal favorites as it always gets people bopping around and dancing.”

The fluidity of IBARRA’s production style is reflected in the range of electronic talent that informs her studio work. She cites Alix Perez, UZ, Khiva, DMVU, Oxossi, Aagentah, Thook, the 1985 label and Quality Goods Records as major sources of inspiration, crediting their affinity for refinement and artistic depth.

“These entities’ attention-to-detail and willingness to endlessly experiment, all while maintaining a certain level of quality… to me, all of that is goals,” says IBARRA.

Among IBARRA’s mentors, Supertask stands out as a guiding light. She recalls the Lab Group member imparting her with technical and creative wisdom in ways that reaffirmed her imaginative process and the unique sounds she brings to the table.

“Supertask changed my whole perspective such that I felt extra sure of my path. He helped me realize I was carving my own sound – that my art does not derive from some secret formula, but rather it’s a little piece of me being shared through music,” shares IBARRA. “He showed me that I’m a vessel through which my art speaks – knowing this is what really set me on my path.”

Celebrating Culture, Overcoming Adversity

IBARRA’s dedication to her craft is noteworthy in its own right – and especially given the fact she faces systemic barriers along her path to creative liberation. As a queer, ethnically Mexican woman of color in an industry rife with structural racism and misogyny, IBARRA is no stranger to the overt and subtle ways that oppressive structures show up in and beyond the electronic scene.

“A big reason I began my own music project is because I was never given proper credit in my bands. Everyone – including my own band members – just assumed the boys did all the work, and that I was just there hitting some drums,” says IBARRA. “You see this happening in all fields of work – women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ communities not getting the recognition, payment, and respect we deserve.”

Intersectional feminism carries deep and invaluable importance to IBARRA as she navigates the music industry and brings her self-expression to life. She wants all listeners, producers, artists, curators, and especially white cisgender men in positions of industry power to understand and embrace their unique roles in building radically equitably music communities where all are truly free to thrive. IBARRA also emphasizes the importance of centering the voices and needs of musicians who are most marginalized.

“To this day, as women, we are still fighting a lot of injustices toward our autonomy. Add in the experiences of being a woman of color and LGBQTIA+ and most can only imagine the adversities we have to face,” says IBARRA. “I want all women and LGBTQIA+ folks of color to feel powerful and capable of achieving anything – because we can and because we already are.”

IBARRA draws an abundance of inspiration from her mother, who brought their family to California from Mexico when Maria was young. She finds strength in her mom’s tenacity and resilience amidst the U.S.’s deeply-embedded sexism, classism, and xenophobia. IBARRA’s mother has also largely connected her family to their Mexican heritage, which Maria is able to celebrate often while living in northern California. Seizing the present moment and appreciating the little things are key to IBARRA’s culturally meaningful outlook on life.

“My mom is my hero, she brought me here literally on her back to give me a better life. California is the perfect place for someone like me to call home. The diversity is beautiful, plus the fact that Mexican culture is very much alive here makes me feel connected with all these important parts of me,” says IBARRA. “Most meaningful to me about my culture is that we truly love to soak up the little things in life. I think many people can understand that financially not coming from much is almost a blessing, because you learn to appreciate experiences, art, food, music, and love shared with family, friends, and pets more than any material thing.”

More Than A Game: Gay Liberation

As a queer femme, IBARRA takes pride in her dedication to LGBTQIA+ advocacy. She recently combined her love for video-gaming and passion for change-making by partnering with Gay Gaming Professionals (GGP), a group of queer and trans game-industry professionals that promotes representation and equitable opportunities for education and career growth.

“Working with GGP was such a great experience, listening to these professionals speak about things that matter so deeply to them was inspiring. Although women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ folks don’t get the spotlight as much as others, it’s important for all these people to see that we do exist within these communities,” says IBARRA. “We are humans who all have the right to exist in this space together and get the same kinds of opportunities to thrive and love as everyone else does. And we are not just minorities – we are musicians, artists, doctors, gamers, and so much more.”

IBARRA experienced intense joy creating music in front of a GGP audience of more than 1,000 viewers. She recalls sharing insights that she hopes will resonate with this community.

“One of my favorite moments of my life was reminding this audience to not be so hard on themselves – life is too short for that,’ says IBARRA. “Let’s enjoy every little thing instead.”

Future Endeavors

Among IBARRA’s next steps include performing at the beloved Lightning In A Bottle festival this May. She credits the L.A.-based soundXperiment crew for recognizing her talent and making this pivotal moment possible. Wormhole Music Group has also taken note of IBARRA’s promising stardom, having slated her as support for a Chee and Of The Trees show. With this career-elevating event under her belt, IBARRA is equipped with the natural talent and nurturing network to mark even more milestones in 2022. And finding the grooves in the pockets of the beat is at the heart of all IBARRA does to create the art she loves.

“Both Wormhole and soundXperiment are amazing curators, so it’s definitely the biggest kudos to be picked for their lineups,” says IBARRA, now a Background Noise alum. “I’m elated knowing these collectives see and recognize how much work and love I put into my project.”

This article was originally published through Background Noise.